Undrafted free agent Matt Beck may be a little rough around the edges, but isn’t that what you generally want from someone who plays linebacker in the NFL?
Beck, who played at the University of California, went undrafted a little over a week ago but was reportedly signed by New England last Thursday. He was originally thought to be a 2nd round draft choice, but injuries kept him from being selected at all, and now he’ll have to try and prove to the Patriots coaching staff that he is healthy enough to compete at the next level.
He is also a player who has struggled with other problems as well. He was arrested during his senior year of high school for driving under the influence, and had to attend AA meetings. The arrest may have been a wake-up call for the talented young high-school player, and following the incident he began a quest to try and turn his life around.
In 1995 he came to the University of California, and during his freshman year he red-shirted, but it wasn’t until the following season that he made a name for himself. In 1996 he led the team in tackles, and his all-out style of play caused many NFL scouts to take notice of him.
But Beck’s all out play would hurt him the following season. In 1997 he suffered a severe injury to his shoulder in which he sustained severe nerve damage. He refused to stay out following the injury only missing two games, and went on to finish the season with 21 tackles for negative yardage. He also had 4 1/2 sacks.
In 1998 he would be hampered by back and hamstring problems, yet still managed 65 tackles, 5 sacks, and two interceptions. Again he refused to stay out of the line up and was a big contributor to the California defense.
However a severe injury to his foot ended his senior year, and he had surgery in which several screws were put into his foot. During the time he was out however, his dedication to the game and to the team was something that many people at the University took notice of. Although he was not in the lineup, he could still often be found locked away in the film room studying game tapes of upcoming opponents, and was determined to help his teammates prepare for each week’s contest.
Many hope that Beck’s “all-out” play will not be the reason why he never plays a down in the NFL. Ask Patriots fans about Vincent Brown, and they’ll tell you that Brown was a very good example of how sometimes it doesn’t pay to be overly dedicated. Brown played on two bad knees during his final season in the NFL, and was cut by Bill Parcells following that season.
Though Beck had surgery last year on his foot, he still managed to run an impressive 4.65 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, and before the draft was projected as a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Quite a few people still feel that if Beck can stay healthy, his hard-hitting style will be a great asset to an already talented Patriots linebacker core.
So call him on the edge, call him crazy, call him whatever you want. I call Beck a player who New England was lucky to get their hands on.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
